First Listen Review: Tobias Jesso Jr. – “Goon”

What I Like: Today is a day I’ve waited a while for. They say things go in circles. in music this is true more than anything else. fifteen years ago when I was growing up, piano rock became huge with its ballads and personal melodies/lyrics. it was quickly swallowed up by those who could make a profit off it and it lost the emotion. Coldplay, Keane, and the Fray were the last before it reached this sad moment in music. In recent years, i repeatedly said the lofi, new wave, shoegaze, and surf rock movements have been nice, but lacked any form of personal connection to the artist. At least at the extent of this album. Just a man on the piano singing simple songs about simple love, but in a beautiful, soulful voice like the late 60s. This is a superb album. The return of piano/songwriter music to the indie platform. “Can We Still Be Friends” is definitely the epitome of what this is.

What Could Be Improved: The best song, True Love, is not on here… What a pity. It was recorded so roughly but this rough sound made Tobias similar to Youth Lagoon. The roughness made the emotion only more personal, you could feel like you were in the same small apartment room as him deep in a dark night, listening to his playing